Meridian vs Orem
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $472,300 in Orem and $531,600 in Meridian.
- Households earn more in Meridian ($100,795 vs $83,342 median).
- Orem gets far more snow: 45 inches a year vs 18.
- Meridian is growing faster: +21.4% since 2020 vs -2.9%.
Side by side
| Meridian, ID | Orem, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 142,988 | 95,214 |
| Growth since 2020 | +21.4% | -2.9% |
| People per square mile | 3,851 | 5,114 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 27.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44% | 44% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $100,795 | $83,342 |
| Median home value | $531,600 | $472,300 |
| Home value to income | 5.3× | 5.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,805 | $1,438 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.4 | 98.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.6 | 104.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,800 | $73,700 |
| Homeowners | 75% | 58% |
| Top state income tax | 5.3% | 4.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.03% | 7.42% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 20.1 |
| Work from home | 19% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 2.7% | 3.9% |
| Poverty rate | 6% | 10.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 39° / 26° | 41° / 24° |
| July high / low | 93° / 62° | 95° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 12 in | 17 in |
| Snowfall per year | 18 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 55 | 74 |
| Nights below freezing | 108 | 111 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 2 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.8 | 95.3 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 56% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.7% | +3.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +25.7% | +34.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Meridian: May to June and September. Orem: May and September.
Full monthly tables: Meridian weather by month and Orem weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,800 in Meridian and $73,700 in Orem. Moving from Meridian to Orem, you would need about $74,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Meridian and Orem
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Meridian and Orem.
Which would you pick?
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